Page 87 of Blue Moon Mistress

“All of them.”

One of the girls nearly chokes on a laugh. “How?”

Tossing the paper towels in the trash, I raise my brows and give them a sharp smile as I push out the door. “Witchcraft.” I whisper, and leave them to titter about it on their own.

The guys are right where I left them, but they’re not alone.

The woman standing with them isn’t trying to gain their attention the high school girls did. She doesn’t have to. I’m not sure they could turn away from her if they tried.

“Mother.” I say as I rejoin them. “What are you doing here?”

Her glare disappears as she turns to me. “I needed to do my due diligence”

“I’m not sixteen. This is not a choice you have a say in.”

“It is as long as you are protected by the coven. All of your choices are up for debate.”

Which is one of the reasons I’d tried to break ties with them completely a year ago. But a solitary witch has their own rules and restrictions… and it was easier to not fight the witches who wanted to keep me.

“I’m glad to see you remember some of what you were taught, even if you’ve managed to put yourselves at these men’s mercy.”

“Not here, mother.”

Her jaw tightens and she glares at them.

“We would never hurt her.” Johnny says, his posture rigid.

“If you knew the risk she’s put herself in, I might believe you. But in some misguided selflessness, I assume she only told you the consequences that would apply to you.”

“Enough.” I look back at the field. “You and I are going home and we are having alongconversation about what is and isn’t appropriate.”

Nose in the air, my mother doesn’t agree, but she doesn’t disagree either, and that’s the more important part.

I turn to Joshua, only because he’s closest. “Will you make sure Thomas knows I was here… and that I thought he was amazing?”

He nods and his gaze travels past me. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

They’re going to want answers to questions I’d hoped they’d never ask.

Twelve

The kettle screechingwakes me the next morning and I shuffle into the kitchen in my robe and slippers.

My mother—as usual—is fully dressed and looks ready to face the day. I don’t ask if she slept. I know the answer.

We’d had a shouting match last night that got us nowhere. It only ended when the wolves got between us.

It happened so fast, we both blinked at them, confused.

I knew my mother would never hurt me… apparently, that conviction didn’t translate to them.

In the cold light of morning, my mother didn’t look as mad.

“I am sorry for last night. I suppose meeting them, when I was already angry was a bad idea, but when I went looking for you they were who I found.”

“I didn’t react well either, but I don’t enjoy being treated like a child.”

She nods. “You may have their wolves, Scarlette, but they have a piece of you too. It’s why I found them. And it terrifies me that they could take you from me without even knowing it.”

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